Device for herbal medicine in which release of medicinal ingredient can be controlled, and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a device for herbal medicine in which the airborne release of medicinal ingredients can be controlled, which comprises: separating two or more medicinal herbal ingredients prescribed or prepared according to pharmacological effects on the basis of the weight ratio of each medicinal ingredient to total weight of the medicinal ingredients; grinding the medicinal ingredients separated on the basis of weight ratio, wherein fine particles are ground to different sizes according to the setting of release duration; preparing herbal medicine by mixing the ground medicinal ingredients together, and then mixing the ingredients with a binding agent; and adhering the herbal medicine to a base sheet. The device for herbal medicine manufactured according to the method allows for persistent permeation of medical ingredients through mucous membrane with different release rate for each medicinal ingredient, and thus, the efficacy of the medicinal ingredient layer and the effect of treating disease can be maximized.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. applicationSer. No. 13/395,347, filed on May 7, 2012, which is a national stageapplication filed under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No.PCT/KR2010/006250, filed Sep. 14, 2010, which claims priority fromKorean Application No. 10-2009-0086728, filed Sep. 14, 2009, each ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a device for herbal medicine and amethod for manufacturing the same. More particularly, it relates to adevice for herbal medicine allowing for persistent supply of medicalingredients through mucous membrane of body and a method formanufacturing the same.

BACKGROUND ART

In general, drug delivery through surface of human body, such as mucousmembrane or skin, is achieved by electrophoresis or electroosmosis. Thedrug administered transmucosally or transdermally in this manner reachesthe bloodstream, being aided by ions. In particular, in case ofelectroosmosis, aqueous solution is attracted to the negative (−)electrode and current flows via membrane with small pores.

Drug administration using devices related to these techniques is quitelimited. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,493,155, 4,141,359, 4,250,878, 3,163.166,4,166,457, 4,273,135, 3,289,671, 4,239,052, 4,367,745, 3,677,268 and4,243,052 disclose methods for administering drugs through mucousmembrane or skin.

Particularly, it is to be noted that, according to U.S. Pat. Nos.3,289,671 and 4,141,359, the rate of drug administration is a functionof current and the control of current is critical in controlling theamount of drug administration. U.S. Pat. No. 588,479 discloses anelectric herb pad providing electrical effect as well as herbalmedicinal effect at the same time for human body.

Iontophoresis is a transdermal drug administration technique capable ofcomplementing or replacing existing oral administration or injection.Differently from the passive drug transport using a pad attached to theskin, it enables active transport of soluble drug through the skin usingelectric induction. In an iontophoretic apparatus, a drug pad containingdrug is attached to the skin. Then magnetic or electrical stimulation isapplied to the drug pad such that the drug pad is maintained in apositively or negatively charged state and the drug is penetrated intothe skin owing to electrical or magnetic repulsion. The iontophoretictechnique is used in cooling or heating pads for drug delivery.

Korean Patent No. 0775675 discloses a vibration pad to stimulate thebody for physiotherapy and an apparatus for controlling the same.

The pad is configured such that the drug ingredient is easily absorbedinto the skin by applying electric field or magnetic field to amedicinal ingredient layer formed in the pad.

However, the patent focuses only on the fast penetration of drug withoutconsidering the persistence of the drug administration through skin and,thus, it is difficult to persistently administer the drug through mucousmembrane or skin. Moreover, it is impossible to vary the rate ofpenetration depending on the particular drug included in the medicinalingredient layer.

When preparing herbal medicine from plants by mixing differentingredients obtained from, for example, the whole plant, leaves, rootand rhizome, fruit and seed, flower, bark, stem, or the like, it may benecessary to control the time or amount of penetration into mucousmembrane according to pharmacological effect so as to achieve persistentdrug delivery, which is difficult to be achieved with existing devices.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present disclosure is directed to solving the above-describedproblems and providing a device for herbal medicine in which airbornerelease and penetration of medicinal ingredients to mucous membrane canbe controlled differently for different medical ingredients so as tomaximize the therapeutic effect and a method for manufacturing the same.

The present disclosure is also directed to providing a device for herbalmedicine in which the release of medicinal ingredients can be controlledby applying magnetic force, heat or electrical stimulation to the deviceto improve the efficiency of penetration into body through mucousmembrane and a method for manufacturing the same.

The present disclosure is also directed to providing a device for herbalmedicine in which airborne release of medicinal ingredients can becontrolled allowing for maintenance of physical properties of two ormore herbal medicinal ingredients prescribed according topharmacological effects, long-term storage of the ground herbalmedicinal ingredients at room temperature, control of release amount andrelease duration of the medicinal ingredients and maximized deliveryeffect of the medical ingredients via mucous membrane, and a method formanufacturing the same.

Technical Solution

In one general aspect, the present disclosure provides a method formanufacturing a device for herbal medicine suitable for mucosaladministration in which the airborne release of medicinal ingredients ofthe herbal medicine to mucous membrane of body can be controlled, whichcomprises:

separating two or more medicinal ingredients of the herbal medicineprescribed or prepared according to pharmacological effects on the basisof the release duration of the medicinal ingredients of the herbalmedicine via mucous membrane of body, wherein the separated medicinalingredients comprise a first ingredient and a second ingredient;

grinding the separated medicinal ingredients to fine particles withdifferent sizes on the basis of the release duration of the medicinalingredients, wherein the first ingredient defines a first particle sizeand the second ingredient defines a second particle size, wherein thefirst particle size is larger than the second particle size, such thatthe second ingredient is configured to release at a greater rate thanthe first ingredient, and wherein a first weight of the first medicinalingredient is less than a second weight of the second ingredient;

preparing herbal medicine by mixing the ground medicinal ingredientswith a binding agent, wherein the first ingredient and the secondingredient define a same release duration, such that the firstingredient and the second ingredient are configured to be releasedpersistently until the release of all the medicinal ingredients iscompleted; and

adhering the herbal medicine to a base sheet.

The method for manufacturing a device for herbal medicine furthercomprises disposing an auxiliary sheet having a number of holes, on asurface of the base sheet, onto which the herbal medicine is adhered, ordisposing a protection sheet on a surface of the base sheet, onto whichthe herbal medicine is adhered.

Advantageous Effects

The device for herbal medicine and the method for manufacturing the sameaccording to the present disclosure allow for persistent permeation ofmedical ingredients through mucous membrane with different release ratefor each medicinal ingredient, and thus, the efficacy of the medicinalingredient layer and the effect of treating disease can be maximized.

Since the device according to the present disclosure can be embodied informs of glasses, eye patches, masks, sanitary pad, underwear for woman,necklaces, bracelets, face guards, virtual reality devices, augmentedreality devices, and a component attached to or inserted into the abovedevices, for penetration of medicinal ingredients into body throughmucous membrane, treatment may be achieved more conveniently and thecommercial value may be enhanced. Since the device for herbal medicinecan deliver medicinal ingredient through mucous membrane, it may bedeveloped into various products.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device for herbal medicineaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a method for manufacturing adevice for herbal medicine according to the present disclosure.

BEST MODE

A device for herbal medicine according to the present disclosure allowsmedicinal ingredients to penetrate into body through mucous membranewith controlled penetration time, i.e. release duration, for treatmentof diseases. An exemplary embodiment is shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to the figure, a device 10 according to the present disclosurecomprises a base sheet 11, a medicinal ingredient layer 12 having apredetermined thickness and spread to the base sheet 11, and a medicinalingredient permeation activating unit 20 provided on base sheet 11 orbetween the medicinal ingredient layer 12 and the base sheet 11, themedicinal ingredient permeation activating unit 20.

The base sheet 11 may comprise fabric, paper or plastic plate, but isnot limited thereto. For example, the base sheet may be made ofsynthetic resin, natural fiber, paper, natural nonwoven, or the like. Inparticular, the base sheet 11 may be further provided with a medicinalingredient permeation activating unit 20, such as a magnet, a heatgenerator or a low frequency generator.

The medicinal ingredient layer 12 comprises two or more medicinalingredients of the herbal medicine prescribed or prepared according topharmacological effects on the basis of the release duration of themedicinal ingredients which are ground to fine particles of differentsizes according to the setting of penetration time, i.e. releaseduration, and mixed (or encapsulated) with a binding agent. When arelatively long airborne release duration is desired, the medicalingredient may be ground to relatively large particle size (10-400 μm),and, when a relatively short airborne release duration is desired, themedical ingredient may be ground to have a particle size of 10-15 μm.For example, when the medical ingredient is desired to be released for aduration of from 1 day to 1 year or longer, the medical ingredient maybe ground to have a particle size of from 10 μm up to 400 μm. And, whentwo or more medical ingredients are desired to be released persistentlyuntil the release of all the medical ingredients is completed, themedical ingredients may be ground to fine particles of different sizesfrom 10 μm up to 400 μm based on their relative weight, so that themedical ingredient of small amount has a larger size and that with alarge amount has a smaller size.

Specifically, the binding agent which encapsulates the ground medicalingredient may comprise maltodextrin, natural polymer or syntheticpolymer which is capable of preventing decomposition of the medicalingredient for a long period of time and holding moisture. The bindingagent may be used in an amount of 5 to 99% of a total weight of theherbal medicine. When the binding agent is mixed with the groundmedicinal ingredients, the mixing speed may be 100 rpm or lower. And,maltodextrin is used as the binding agent, the amount of which may be 60to 99% of a total weight of the herbal medicine. When honey, which isone of natural polymers, is used as the binding agent, the amount may be5 to 60% of a total weight of the herbal medicine, considering thewater-holding ability of honey. When acrylic copolymer, which is one ofsynthetic polymers, is used as the binding agent, the amount may be 50to 99% of a total weight of the herbal medicine.

The medicinal ingredient permeation activating unit 20 is capable ofactivating the permeation of the medicinal ingredient into the body suchas mouth, nose, eyes, eyelids or vagina, by applying heat, electricfield or magnetic field to the medicinal ingredient layer. A magneticsubstance capable of applying a magnetic force of 2500-7000 gauss may beprovided between the medicinal ingredient layer 12 and the base sheet11. The magnetic substance may comprise a rubber magnet, and may beprovided as the magnet powder layer of the base sheet as described aboveor may be embedded or mixed as magnet powder in the base sheet.

In another exemplary embodiment, the medicinal ingredient permeationactivating unit may comprise a low frequency generator (not shown)provided on one side of the base sheet and a low frequency transportlayer connected to the low frequency generator and embedded in themedicinal ingredient layer.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the medicinal ingredient permeationactivating unit may comprise a heat generator (not shown) provided onone side of the base sheet or embedded in the medicinal ingredientlayer.

Without being limited to the above-described embodiments, the medicinalingredient permeation activating unit may be of any configurationcapable of activating the penetration of the medicinal ingredient intothe body through mucous membrane. For example, a light-emitting dioderadiating light of specific wavelength region to the target site may beused.

In addition, an auxiliary sheet having a number of holes may be attachedor placed on or above the medicinal ingredient layer for protecting themedicinal ingredient layer. The auxiliary sheet may comprise fabric,paper or plastic plate, but is not limited thereto. For example, theauxiliary sheet may be made of synthetic resin, natural fiber, paper,natural nonwoven, or the like.

The device for herbal medicine may be glasses, eye patches, masks,sanitary pad, underwear for woman, necklaces, bracelets, face guards,virtual reality devices, augmented reality devices, and a componentattached to or inserted into the above devices, including any type ofdevices worn near nose or eyes. Thus, the medicinal ingredient of theherbal medicine incorporated in the device, is released via air anddelivered to mucous membrane of body, such as nose or eyes, even withoutcontacting the mucous membrane.

The device for herbal medicine comprising two or more medicinalingredients prescribed or prepared according to pharmacological effectsmay be modified to suit the site of application and be attached theretoso as to achieve controlled airborne release duration of the medicalingredient according to purposes such as treatment of neuralgia,arthritis, shoulder stiffness, etc.

The particle size of the two or more medicinal ingredients may bedetermined by the following equation. The equation is based on thephysical principle that the smaller the particle size the shorter is therelease duration, and the larger the particle size the longer is therelease duration.

${\log\frac{S}{S_{o}}} = \frac{2\;\gamma\; V}{2.303\mspace{14mu}{RTr}}$

S: airborne release amount of relatively small-sized particles, S_(o):airborne release amount of relatively large-sized particles, γ: surfacetension of particles, V: molecular volume (cm³), r final diameter (cm)of particles, R: gas constant (8.314×10⁷ erg/deg mol), T: absolutetemperature.

A method for manufacturing the device for herbal medicine comprises, asshown in FIG. 2, separating two or more medicinal ingredients of theherbal medicine, prescribed or prepared according to pharmacologicaleffects on the basis of the release duration of the medicinalingredients of the herbal medicine via mucous membrane (S1) and grindingthe separated medicinal ingredients to fine particles with differentsizes on the basis of the release duration of the medicinal ingredients(S2). The particle size of the finely ground medicinal ingredients maybe determined according to the weight proportion of the medicinalingredients. Specifically, a medicinal ingredient with a smaller weightproportion may be ground to have a relatively larger particle size.

The method for manufacturing the device for herbal medicine furthercomprises preparing herbal medicine by mixing the ground medicinalingredients with a binding agent (S3) and adhering the prepared herbalmedicine to a base sheet (S4). The step of preparing the herbal medicinemay comprise mixing the ground medicinal ingredients with a bindingagent comprising maltodextrin, natural polymer or synthetic polymer suchthat the medicinal ingredients are encapsulated by the binding agent. Inthe adhering step, the herbal medicine is coated on the base sheet. Itmay further comprise providing a medicinal ingredient permeationactivating unit comprising a magnet, heat generator or a low frequencygenerator for applying magnetic field, heat or low frequency to themedicinal ingredients of the device.

The present disclosure is described in more detail by the following testexamples. However, the scope of present disclosure is not limited by thetest examples.

Test Example 1

Release duration of medicinal ingredients prescribed for skin diseaseand inflammation having different particle sizes was tested. Herbalmedicine was prepared from red bean (3 g), apricot kernel (4 g),ephedra, forsythia, ginger, jujube and mulberry root (3 g each) andlicorice (1 g).

The apricot kernel was ground to a particle size of 10 μm (minimumparticle size required for maintaining the physical properties of theherbal medicine), the red bean, ephedra, forsythia, jujube and mulberryroot were ground to a particle size of 15 μm, and the licorice wasground to a particle size of 40 μm.

The ground medicinal ingredients were mixed with 80 parts by weight ofhoney based on the total weight of the ground medicinal ingredients andapplied on a base sheet to form a 5 mm thick medicinal ingredient layer.

Thus prepared device for herbal medicine was cut to a sample of 50 mm×50mm size and adhered to the disease site. Then, the rate and time ofrelease of the medicinal ingredients from the medicinal ingredient layerwere measured. The drug airborne release amount was measured by atomicanalysis of the medical ingredients after a given period of time.

The airborne release amount from the medicinal ingredient layer wasmeasured 24 hours after attaching the device on the body. At 24 hours,the release amount was 45% and 40% of initial release for red bean andapricot kernel, respectively. The release amount of ephedra, forsythia,jujube and mulberry root was 45% of initial release. And, the releaseamount of licorice with a relatively larger particle size was 40% ofinitial release. As seen from Table 1, the time and amount of release ofthe medicinal ingredients are determined by the particle size, withoutregard to the content of the medicinal ingredients.

TABLE 1 Weight (g) of Particle size Release ratio medicinal ingredient(μm) (%) Note Licorice 1 40 40 Red bean 3 15 45 Ephedra 3 15 45Forsythia 3 15 45 Jujube 3 15 45 Mulberry root 3 15 45 Ginger 3 15 45Apricot kernel 4 10 40

Test Example 2

Herbal medicine was prepared as in Test Example 1. The red bean, apricotkernel, ephedra, forsythia, jujube and mulberry root were ground to aparticle size of 20 μm, and the licorice was ground to a particle sizeof 25 μm.

The ground medicinal ingredients were mixed with 90 parts by weight ofhoney based on the total weight of the ground medicinal ingredients andapplied on a base sheet to form a 5-mm thick medicinal ingredient layer.

The release from the medicinal ingredient layer was determined 7 daysafter attaching the device on the body. The release amount of red beanwas 10% of initial release, and the release amount of ephedra,forsythia, jujube and mulberry root was 10.3% of initial release. Therelease amount of licorice with a relatively larger particle size was20% of initial release.

Test Example 3

Herbal medicine was prepared as in Test Example 1. The red bean wasground to a particle size of 370 μm, the apricot kernel, ephedra,forsythia, jujube and mulberry root were ground to a particle size of375 μm, and the licorice was ground to a particle size of 300 μm.

The release from the medicinal ingredient layer was determined 7 daysafter attaching the device on the body. The release amount of red beanwas 11% of initial release, and the release amount of ephedra,forsythia, jujube and mulberry root was 11.2% of initial release. Therelease amount of licorice with a relatively larger particle size was 5%of initial release.

Test Example 4

Experiment was performed under the same condition as in Test Example 1after attaching a magnet of 2,600 gauss to the base sheet.

The release from the medicinal ingredient layer was determined 24 hoursafter attaching the device on the body. The release amount of red beanwas 3% of initial release, and the release amount of ephedra, forsythia,jujube and mulberry root was 3.5% of initial release. The release amountof licorice with a relatively larger particle size was 3% of initialrelease.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conceptions andspecific embodiments disclosed in the foregoing description may bereadily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other embodimentsfor carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that such equivalentembodiments do not depart from the spirit and scope of the disclosure asset forth in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for manufacturing a device forherbal medicine suitable for mucosal administration in which theairborne release of medicinal ingredients of the herbal medicine tomucous membrane of body can be controlled, which comprises: separatingtwo or more medicinal ingredients of the herbal medicine prescribed orprepared according to pharmacological effects on the basis of therelease duration of the medicinal ingredients of the herbal medicine viamucous membrane of body, wherein the separated medicinal ingredientscomprise a first ingredient and a second ingredient; grinding theseparated medicinal ingredients to fine particles with different sizeson the basis of the release duration of the medicinal ingredients,wherein the first ingredient defines a first particle size and thesecond ingredient defines a second particle size, wherein the firstparticle size is larger than the second particle size, such that thesecond ingredient is configured to release at a greater rate than thefirst ingredient, and wherein a first weight of the first medicinalingredient is less than a second weight of the second ingredient;preparing herbal medicine by mixing the ground medicinal ingredientswith a binding agent, wherein the first ingredient and the secondingredient define a same release duration, such that the firstingredient and the second ingredient are configured to be releasedpersistently until the release of all the medicinal ingredients iscompleted; and adhering the herbal medicine to a base sheet.
 2. Themethod for manufacturing a device for herbal medicine in which theairborne release of medicinal ingredients can be controlled of claim 1,further comprises disposing an auxiliary sheet having a number of holeson a surface of the base sheet, onto which the herbal medicine isadhered, or disposing a protection sheet on a surface of the base sheet,onto which the herbal medicine is adhered.
 3. The method formanufacturing a device for herbal medicine in which the airborne releaseof medicinal ingredients can be controlled of claim 1, wherein said bodyis selected from the group consisting of mouth, and nose, eyes, eyelidsand vagina.
 4. The method for manufacturing a device for herbal medicinein which the airborne release of medicinal ingredients can be controlledof claim 1, wherein said binding agent is selected from the groupconsisting of maltodextrin, natural polymer and synthetic polymer. 5.The method for manufacturing a device for herbal medicine in which theairborne release of medicinal ingredients can be controlled of claim 1,wherein said binding agent comprises 5 to 99% of a total weight of theherbal medicine.
 6. The method for manufacturing a device for herbalmedicine in which the airborne release of medicinal ingredients can becontrolled of claim 1, wherein said preparing the herbal medicinefurther comprises providing a medicinal ingredient permeation activatingunit comprising a magnet, a heat generator or a low frequency generatorfor applying magnetic field, heat or low frequency to the medicinalingredients of the device.
 7. The method for manufacturing a device forherbal medicine in which the airborne release of medicinal ingredientscan be controlled of claim 6, further comprising a medicinal ingredientlayer comprising the herbal medicine, wherein the medicinal ingredientpermeation activating unit is positioned between the medicinalingredient layer and the base layer.
 8. The method for manufacturing adevice for herbal medicine in which the airborne release of medicinalingredients can be controlled of claim 1, wherein said device isselected from the group consisting of glasses, eye patches, masks,sanitary pad, underwear for woman, necklaces, bracelets, face guards,virtual reality devices, augmented reality devices, and a componentattached to or inserted into the above devices.